Cape Town: South Africa will use its Group of Twenty (G20) Presidency to build a more inclusive and prosperous Africa and a better world, ensuring no one is left behind. This initiative marks a historic moment as South Africa becomes the first African country to lead this influential group of the world’s largest economies.
According to South African Government News Agency, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced South Africa’s ambitious agenda under the theme ‘Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability’ during the official launch of the G20 Presidency in Cape Town. President Ramaphosa emphasized that the Presidency is a valuable opportunity for South Africa to advance efforts towards greater global economic growth and sustainable development, placing the needs of Africa and the rest of the Global South more firmly on the international development agenda.
President Ramaphosa stated that the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) Minister Ronald Lamola, Treasury Minister Enoch Godongwana, and
The Presidency, led by Director-General Phindile Baleni, will be responsible for leading and ensuring the success of the G20 process. He recognized the significant responsibility of leading a group that represents 85% of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), over 75% of international trade, and about two-thirds of the world population. The G20 plays a critical role in influencing global policy-making and fostering global economic stability, with decisions impacting the lives of all global community members.
The G20 is an international forum that comprises 19 countries, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Trkiye, United Kingdom, and United States, along with two regional bodies, the European Union and the African Union. South Africa’s G20 Presidency is expected to bring significant economic benefits, particularly for the tourism, transport, restaurant, entertainment, and hospit
ality industries, with global visibility across all nine provinces.
South Africa is set to host approximately 130 meetings, both virtual and in-person, from December 2024 to November 2025, coinciding with major international conferences and meetings. The Presidency comes at a challenging time, with global crises such as climate change, inequality, poverty, geopolitical conflicts, and sluggish economic growth. President Ramaphosa underscored the need for collective action to address these pressing issues, ensuring that solutions are inclusive and equitable.
President Ramaphosa outlined four key priorities for South Africa’s G20 Presidency: strengthening disaster resilience, ensuring debt sustainability, mobilizing finance for a just energy transition, and harnessing critical minerals for inclusive growth. The Presidency aims to escalate discussions on climate-induced disasters, advocate for enhanced global support for post-disaster reconstruction, particularly for vulnerable nations, and explore sustainable
debt solutions for low-income countries.
The Presidency also seeks to mobilize finance for a just energy transition by securing agreement on increasing the quality and quantity of climate finance flows to developing countries. Additionally, South Africa plans to champion the responsible use of critical minerals, ensuring that local communities and resource-rich countries benefit equitably.
The G20 Presidency will culminate in the Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg in November 2025, where world leaders will adopt a declaration outlining collective actions to address critical global challenges.